HTC TyTN II debuts in Europe; U.S. launch far behind?
HTC launches the HTC TyTN II (aka HTC Kaiser) smart phone in Europe.
Bonnie ChaFormer Editor
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. For all of you who are dreaming sweet thoughts of the HTC Kaiser like I am, we're one step closer to seeing the vision come true. Today, the company announced the HTC TyTN II for Europe; hopefully signifying that the U.S. launch won't be too far behind.
Despite the different naming scheme, the TyTN II is the same smart phone as the Kaiser we've discussed before on Crave. The Windows Mobile 6 device features a 2.8-inch, QVGA touch screen that slides out and tilts up to give you a better view for reading and creating e-mails, work documents, and so forth. It's also fully stocked with Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), Bluetooth 2.0, HSDPA, and GPS. Other goodies include a 3-megapixel camera, 256MB ROM/128MB ROM, and a microSD slot. The TyTN II will launch with various carriers throughout Europe, including Orange, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, starting in September. You can check out the full press release here [PDF file].
HTC
So what about us here in the States? Well, given that the quad-band GSM smart phone includes HSDPA support and only one of the two GSM carriers--AT&T and T-Mobile--has rolled out its 3.5G network, it's pretty safe to assume it'll land at AT&T. In fact, there are rumors that the HTC TyTN II/Kaiser will be rebranded as the AT&T 8925 (as the successor to the AT&T 8525) and/or AT&T Tilt. CrunchGear is reporting that the mobile could be available as early as September 3 for $499 with a two-year contract, but there's been no official confirmation from either HTC or AT&T.
